"Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei!" Naruto and Sasuke simultaneously shouted as they placed their palms against a beaten woman, thus ending the terror that was Kaguya Otsutsuki.
The two, seeing her consciousness begin to fade, attempted to release their hands from her body, only to become confused when the appendages continued to stick to her. A moment passed, and their hands were released from her hold, they sighed in relief. It appeared they could not let go until the sealing was complete, seeing that they were free the moment she completely fell to her endless sleep. Naruto, and even Sasuke for that matter, where immensely relieved that that was the case, if they had actually taken their hands off, perhaps the sealing would have stopped, and then the two would be left with an angry goddess.
"Kakashi!" Shouted Naruto, already beginning his descent to rescue his skydiving teacher. Sasuke gave a grunt and followed closely behind.
POOF
Hagoromo watched closely as the people he summoned appeared in the cavern, trying to see if they would notice what he had done. He doubted it.
"Super Sage Gramps!" His youngest descendant and son yelled.
...That was weird, even for him.
Oh well, you can't argue with souls, especially ones as peculiar as an Otsutsuki's.
"Naruto!" The rosette, Sakura he believed, yelled at the boy.
"Show some respect! He's the legendary Sage of Six Paths! You can't just talk to him so casually!" She admonished.
Sheepishly, the blonde rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled an apology.
He simply chuckled.
Ashura never changes.
And as much joy that that brought him, it also brought great sadness.
They were his sons, and he was a stranger to them. They had new parents, but they would always first and foremost be his.
That was why he regretted what he did.
Both in the past and at present.
But it was what needed to happen if the world was to know peace.
People as powerful and corrupt as his mother should not be allowed to rule.
"Dad!" Ashura shouted, and for a moment, Hagoromo felt joy overtake him, and then he noticed that Ashura was talking to the blonde Hokage, that Naruto was talking to his father.
Against his will, jealousy crept inside of him, but he smashed it down.
Naruto's time as Ashura in this world had long passed, and even if he possessed the soul of his son, even if he possessed the very chakra his son had wielded, he had a new life to live.
But Hagoromo was content, he was content in his knowledge that no matter what happened, they would always be family, no matter what form they donned, no matter how much they changed and stayed the same, they will always, in some way, be his children.
And he would always be their father.
"Excuse me, Lord Sage." The rosette spoke up once more, intimidation and a little curiosity in his voice. He glanced at her, a slight twinkle appearing in his eyes.
She was so much like Indra's wife, personality-wise, that is. As much joy as it would bring him for his children's lover to reincarnate with them, human souls simply didn't have the ability to avoid death. Unlike an Otsutsuki.
"Yes?" He questioned.
"Uhm, well, I was just wondering where the Tailed beast were? Shouldn't they be here? We-er, They did seal Kaguya, right?" Sakura voiced her concern and interest. She was a very curious girl.
Feigning surprise, he looked around the room, pretending to squint to get a better look.
"Interesting." He spoke as he stroked his beard, pondering over what could have happened to them.
"I suppose it is possible that they took on new forms or need to reform. Besides their initial creation, something like this has never been done before, and that was through the combined efforts of myself and my brother." He said after a moment.
He felt guilty, he truly did, but he couldn't risk his mother reviving, not again.
They were lucky this time, lucky to have an incarnation of Ashura and Indra to protect them, but they might not next time.
That was why he did what he did.
Though, his other children, the tailed beast that were his mothers' power, would not suffer. As a matter of fact, he intended to take them with him. Have some quality family time with them and his brother.
They'll never visit the Elemental Nations again.
Sakura looked uneasy, as if the idea of new Tailed Beasts was a troubling one. Perhaps she worried they wouldn't be as nice as the last?
That must be it.
"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." He said.
Then, after thinking over his interactions with Ashura, he added on to that.
"I promise." It seemed she was waiting for that, she relaxed.
Taking one last look at Ashura and Indra, at Naruto and Sasuke, he felt a tear slide down his eye.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, before he, along with the past Hokages, disappeared in shining light.
But like he said, his mother must never be revived.
Earth, 15 years later-
"Gabriel!" The angelic voice of a young man shouted. Like his voice, the man himself possessed a softness, yet still retained firmness, in his appearance. With light blue eyes and honey blonde hair, the man was sure to stand out in a crowd. That and his twelve golden wings, which easily took the attention away from the circular halo that floated above his head.
"Yes, brother?" A beautiful maiden questioned, obviously the most beautiful the man had ever met, if he thought that way, that is.
"I need you to position your soldiers at the top of that mountain!" He exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the large, snow-covered mountain. Though the mountain was large, it was no match for the mountain sitting directly beside it. It came close though.
"I've just received info from Metatron that Lucifer and Azazel are both deploying their troops to mount a siege!" He shouted, just barely hiding his own surprise.
"What? Then why are we still here?! Should we not retreat?" She questioned, not wanting to lose more lives or spill much more blood than she already had. He simply shook his head, not finding that a possibility.
"I'm afraid not. We can't lose this base. That mountain is the highest place on Earth, and the closest to heaven." He explained. Slowly, understanding began to show itself on Gabriel's face.
"If either the Fallen or the Devils gained control over it, they'll have almost direct access to Heaven, free to mount an attack anytime they please. We can't lose it." He finished.
Gabriel nodded her head, but still, something didn't make sense to her.
"If that's the case, then why do you want my troops to head to the second mountain? Wouldn't it be best to fully defend it from its top?" She questioned, it making the most sense to her. The man shook his head.
"No, that won't work. We don't have the numbers to deal with both the Fallen and the Devils directly. That's why I want your soldiers to remain on the smaller mountain. If they cover themselves with their wings, they should go unnoticed as the enemy fly pass them." He began.
Gabriels' eyes widened slightly as the implication of that happening hit her.
"I understand, but even with a surprise attack, we still won't have the power to take them all out. And don't you think they'll be a little suspicious of the lack of Angels?" She argued/questioned. The man smiled.
"No, and don't worry. As your soldiers wait for them to pass, mine will be at the top of Mt. Everest, drawing their fire and attacking from the front while you attack from the back. It's not perfect, but I believe it's the best chance we have." He smiled, not in reassurance, but tiredly. The war was really taking a toll on him, as well as their father, who had just sealed a beast of unimaginable power a month ago.
Gabriel sighed.
"I hope you're right, Michael. I really do." She said before readying herself to address her troops.
Elemental Nations, Same time as above-
"I still can talk to Kurama, Sasuke. Heck, I can't even feel his presence!" Naruto complained to his raven-haired sparring partner. His partner only gave a grunt in return, before deciding to fully answer him.
"That's what you're worried about?" He questioned before gesturing towards the both of them.
"Uhm, yeah? I mean, what else should I worry about?" The blonde bimbo questioned.
"How about the fact that we're both thirty-one?" The seemingly eighteen-year-old questioned. Naruto simply smirked.
"Worrying about your old age, eh Sasuke?" Naruto joked. Sasuke simply flipped him off, having grown used to his behavior in the last ten years they've sparred together.
"Naruto..." Sasuke began before he threw a rock that hit Naruto square in the head.
"Ouch! What'd you do that for, bastard?!" Naruto shouted.
"Get serious, you shouldn't joke around about this," Sasuke said simply.
"But I am serious!" Naruto drawled out, reminding Sasuke slightly of Orochimaru and his hiss/speech.
Sasuke slightly glared, not believing this could be Naruto being serious.
"It is!" Naruto insisted.
"Look, I'm an Uzumaki! We have long lives, we just age slower! You, on the other hand! Well, what the fuck dude? Illusion? Anti-aging cream? Oh, I know! You have secret late-night meetings with Sakura where you have her tighten the skin around your face!" Naruto shouted.
Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Immortality? With this idiot?
Out of nowhere, Naruto straightened out of his stance and put a serious face on. He sighed as well.
"Look, Sasuke. I'm scared... Alright? What happened to us? We look like teenagers for God's sake! I... I wanted to marry Hinata. I, well, I just couldn't. Not when I learned I wasn't aging like the rest of them. And then when you came back to Konoha, looking only slightly older than you left, like me..." Naruto trailed off here, unsure of what to say.
Sasuke's eyes softened slightly.
Damned his caring attitude.
"Go on." He said strongly, feeling curious. Naruto hesitated once more before continuing.
"Well, when you came back and looked close to the same as last time, I didn't feel alone anymore. I know it was just slightly, but everyone else was getting older, and I... just wasn't. I just... don't like thinking about it. So please, just let the age thing drop." Naruto begged.
Sasuke sighed and relented.
"Okay, but there's still the issue of the Tailed Beasts, they still haven't returned and I... I think I know why." Sasuke confessed, having been thinking about it for a while. This perked Naruto up slightly, he was eager to find where Kurama went.
"Why haven't they?" Naruto questioned. Taking a breath, Sasuke got prepared to explain his theory.
"Okay, so in order to explain this, we have to go back to the beginning."
Naruto nodded, showing he understood.
"Okay, so, the Tailed Beasts were first created when Hagoromo, on his deathbed, along with his brother, decided that the Juubi was too powerful to let rampage. Or at least, that's what most people believe nowadays. But you, Sakura, Kakashi and I know differently." Sasuke stated.
"The Juubi, if released, had a chance of once again becoming Kaguya. So, in an attempt to stop her resurrection, the two of them utilized the Creation Of All Things technique to strip the Juubi of its chakra and divide it into living entities of chakra. The Tailed Beasts." Sasuke continued.
Naruto furrowed his brows slightly, not sure where this was going.
"These large, individual pieces of chakra possessed inhuman abilities, abilities strong enough to fend off capture and discourage others from attempting it. It stands to reason that they were designed that way, each Beast being more powerful to capture, as the Juubi had to be revived in a specific order. This measuring of strength was designed in a way that made resurrecting the Juubi nearly impossible."
"But it wasn't," Naruto interjected. Sasuke simply nodded before he went on with his explanation.
"Right. Now, fast forward a few centuries to the fourth shinobi war, where multiple people proved to have the strength of defeating, capturing and storing the Tailed Beasts into the Gedo Mazo. Which, ultimately ended in the full resurrection of Kaguya, and nearly the end of the world."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Naruto started with his hands in the air, urging Sasuke to stop.
"Are you saying that Super Sage Gramps is punishing them? Because they couldn't do their job he won't let them come back to life?" Naruto questioned.
"Not exactly," Sasuke answered cryptically. Naruto put a blank face on.
"Elaborate," Naruto commanded.
"Okay, imagine this. If you had done something to prevent a war and found out later that it didn't work, what would you do? Keep trying until it worked, or try to find a better way?" Sasuke questioned.
"Find something that works," Naruto replied almost instantly.
His eyes widened in shock.
"Then you mean-" He began before Sasuke interrupted him.
"We were the 'Better way'. Two beings that can go under the radar, each with at least half the chakra as Kaguya, who were both already among the strongest in the world. Throw in the fact that we both have abilities that none else could possess, and were the perfect candidates. It also probably helps that were the reincarnations of Kaguya's grandkids, nearly anyone else would probably blow up from the sheer power."
"But when-"
"When our palms were stuck and wouldn't come off, I wasn't sure of it then but I am now, we were only able to let go when Kaguya was completely drained of chakra," Sasuke explained.
"Then... This explains everything. The youth, the growth in chakra, hell, even our jutsu have been more powerful... more controlled!" Naruto added. What were they now? Otsutsuki? Psuedo-Tailed Beasts? Hell, maybe they were even Aliens!
Suddenly, he realized something.
"But what about Kurama?! Does he just... not exist anymore?" He questioned.
"I... don't know, but I don't think Hagoromo would just destroy something like that. Afterall, they were his kids. Sort of."
Naruto collapsed onto to floor slightly dramatically, exhausted from today's spar.
And the day's revelations.
"Stay still," Gabriel commanded her troops.
"And don't make any noise," she added, this time more quietly.
Carefully, Gabriel watched as Fallen and Devils appeared in the area through magic circles, all clothed in powerful looking battle attire, wielding weapons that were sure to have brought their downfall if they hadn't been prepared. Now, at least, they had a chance.
Someone, a commander she was sure, shouted something, most likely in order to mobilize. Strangely, only half the forces began to make their way into the air.
Suddenly, another stepped out from the group that was still on the ground, and Gabriel had to hold in a gasp.
It was Azazel.
Her former friend. Her former brother. The commander of the Fallen.
And if he and the Devils were working together, and he was here, then that must mean-
Her eyes widened in horror.
The Four! They must be here!
She watched Azazel shouted something before the other half of the group finally took to the air.
It made sense, she realized, the Fallen would never take orders from a Devil, just like the Devils would never take orders from a Fallen. But regardless, the situation was bad, because if the two groups could make a truce to defeat them, even with the animosity that was between them, just how badly do they believe they can win.
Azazel, after all, would never commit to something he didn't think would be a success.
Where are the Satans? She was certain they would be here now that she had seen Azazel. She just couldn't spot them.
Regardless, she needed to focus on the task at hand.
Just as the group of Fallen and Devils had gotten perfectly between the two mountains, she let out a war cry.
"Charge!" She shouted, pointing her Light Spear in the direction of the enemy.
The angels under her commanded flooded out in a sea of white, rushing the enemy and attacking with the force of a typhoon. The enemy was completely caught off guard at this development, and it was all that they could do to keep from being overwhelmed, defending from attacks on both sides.
With both Michael and Gavriel leading the charge, it soon became a bloodbath.
Until they appeared.
Fifteen minutes ago-
"Albion!" The deep and rumbling voice of a large, red, western dragon roared.
"Ddraig!" An equally deep and haunting voice roared, the voice itself belonging to an almost identical looking dragon, but this time in white.
""Arghhhhhhh!"" They charged at one another, both consumed their lust for battle, completely oblivious to their own surroundings as their battle brought them across the globe.
"Boost!" Ddraig roared as a red aura enveloped him boosting his physical and magical abilities.
"Divide!" Cried his counterpart, stealing half of the boost he had used on himself, becoming enveloped in a light blue aura.
"Penetrate!" Ddraig charged.
"Reflect!" Countered Albion, sending the same amount of force back at him, nullifying the attack.
"Damn you! You dirty thief!" Ddraig voiced his displeasure.
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!" Ddraig shouted.
"Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide! Divide!" Albio answered his warcry with one of his own, both powering up, trying to, in some way, gain an advantage over the other.
Rooaaarrrr!
Twin blasts of fire and ice launched at each other, both becoming nullified by the other.
Frustrated, Ddraig flew at Albion at high speeds, catching him by surprise as they continued with their momentum, eventually coming to a stop in a mountain region.
"What the hell?! What the fuck are they doing here?!" A voice demanded, though the continued frenzy went ignored by the two. They needn't concern themselves with ones so weak.
The two, wordlessly, took to the sky, before engaging in a game of strength.
Raming into the other, the two created a shockwave that knocked all else out of the air, leaving those that couldn't correct themselves in time to become seriously injured, if not dead.
So locked in their struggle, they were, that they never noticed the casualties they were causing, fire met ice, not knowing of the steam boiling some alive.
The bodies of the two, when crashing towards the earth, causing landslides that swallowed Angel, Fallen and Devil alike with no discrimination.
Fires burned some to ash, ice froze eternally over some, not even the human civilizations near were safe, as the clash between the two was powerful enough to change the weather, causing deadly floods, raging fires, and lethal lightning to strike.
The world around them was falling to ruin.
"It's... It's a bloodbath!" Michael watched on in horror as the Heavenly Dragons decimated all bits of life around them, all just a side effect of the clash they were having.
Truly, this battle befits those within the Top 10.
Desperately, Michael attempted to get ahold of the rest of the seraphs, he needed them and their forces to form an extraction team, they couldn't risk staying here anymore.
"Metatron! I need you to get us out of here! It's The Heavenly Dragons!" He got no reply.
It seemed the psychic, magic line was dead.
He tched.
"Then we have no choice!" He said, trying to convince himself.
"We have to fight!"
Looking at Fallen and Devil alike, they nodded.
And then they charged.
"Metatron!" The sweet voice of a young girl yelled. She had honey blonde hair and violet eyes, with a single pair of snow-white wings resting on her back.
"What is it, Raynare?" They man, Metatron, questioned.
"Sir, we've completely lost contact with Michael and Gabriel!" She yelled frantically.
Metatron's eyes widened momentarily at the new before he frowned and punched the wall.
"Damn it! I told them to get out of there!" He shouted angrily. Raynare was taken by surprise at his outburst.
"What? What happened? Tell me!" She begged. Metatron paused a moment, thinking over his words and what he could tell her before settling on his explanation.
"It's the Satans and Azazel..." He confessed.
"What?" Raynare asked.
"They were planning on launching a joint attack on Michaels and Gabriel's camp. I told them to leave." Metatron sighed.
"What!?"
"Look, that's not the point right now. We need to alert God of the attack and how we lost contact. I'm sure he'll know what to do." Metatron answered though he held in a sigh. He knew, even with God, it would be a tough battle to wind.
God had used a lot of his power and energy when he sealed the beast of the apocalypse, and he had yet to recover it.
But, then again, what could go wrong?
He was God, after all.
Up in the highest level of Heaven sat a being garbed in white.
With flowing long hair that put the Angels wings to shame, and light golden eyes. The man had a pale complexion, with splotches of black added in near-random places.
But by far, the most distinguishing feature of the men was they ringed, golden eye in the center of his forehead, which exuded power and gave forth a sense of regality.
The mans face bore a grime visage, having been paying close attention to the screen that floated in front of him.
The screen, no more han a ripple in the air, played out the curent events on Earth, or, to be more specific, it showed the battle of two colossal dragons and their rampage across the planet.
By far, the worst of the battle, his children, his creations, Fallen, Angel and Devil alike, putting aside their differences to fend off the titanic beasts.
"It's time." He said to the empty room.
Gracefully, the being that was God stood from his thrown and donned his battle attire, but, before leaving, he stole one last glace at his screen.
The screen simply showed two men, one with hair as golden as the sun, and the other as dark as night.
"It's time..." He whispered softly, before continuing his slow gait down Heavn and onto Earth.
It was finally time for God to make his first appearance in battle.